philosophy, biology and medicine in the ancient world Flashcards
For greek philosophers, science, philosophy and religion were not sharply distinct. however they deserve credit for inventing what?
inventing science (broadly defined) and scientific curiosity
what is science?
Trying to understand nature- its natural (no supernatural entities) (supernatural world is where you have immaterial mental states) natural causes and natural effects (the world in its own terms)
What did these Greek philosophers try to find regarding science, philosophy, and medicine?
tried to find natural causes of thing by reason and observation
swift locical through
why did Greek philosophers discard religious and supernatural explanations of the world, at least in part?
the greek religion had no complete, systematic explination of the world
the greek gods took little interest in the world and its people
the greek gods had human characteristics and faults
priests did not dominate greek civilization
what is known about the milesian school?
very little is known about Thales of miletus, he left no writings and perhaps was illiterate. But some of his views, and the views of Anaximander and anaximenes, were put down in the historical record by Aristotle, who knew of them and who discussed their ideas in his book
what were Thales teaching? (3)
the earth is a disc surrounded on all sides by water
water is the beginning of all things, the fundamental element out of which all else is made
the forces that cause change in matter are consolidation and expansion
according to Thales what were earthquakes?
the water being disturbed around the earth disc
according to thales teachings why were shells in the soil?
shells in the soil meant that the dirt used to be water
because of what the Milesian can lay a claim to have invented science?
their naturalism and their ideas on the unity of matter
Empedocles like Thales had what kind of view of nature?
had materialist and causal view
Empedocles was the originator of what?
four - element model of nature; fire, air, water, and earth composed everthing.
Empedocle believed what about the elements?
He believed that these elements combine and dissociate because of two forces Love (attraction) and Hate (repulsion)
Empedocles biology
what did he thing about our blood?
we think with our blood, beause the four elements are most evenly mingled in our blood
What was Empedocles thoughts about animals evolution?
animals have evolved over time from bizarre ancestors. Originally separate limbs, torsos and heads arose from the earth and then combine at random, by chance, producing animals of different adaptive characteristics. Darwin honoured Empedocies for “shadowing forth the principle of natural selection”
Democritus and Atomism
what did democritus represent?
he represented the peak of the first period of Greek philosophy
What is the peak of the first period of Greek philosophy most noted for?
its interest in the natural world for its own sake. He learned atomism for his teacher Leucippus, and became the foremost ancient atomist and religious skeptic
What is Democriitus’s atomism?
atoms are infinite in number and shape
what were Democritus view of qualities of matter?
qualities of matter derive from the number, size, shape and motion of the atoms of which matter is composed
what were Democritus view of his atomism and biology?
life and the soul are the same thing. The soul consists of fire atoms
(fire atoms in sould and that is what kept us alive)
what was democritus theory on our soul?
fire atoms in the soul, they are what keep us alive but we are always losing them, soul atoms are why we need to keep breathing
What was democritus’s thoughts on sleep, asphyxia and death?
that they were all due to the loss of soul atoms
what did democritus think about sensory perception?
that is is due to the movement of atoms from the perceived object to the perceiver, interaction with soul atoms from the perceiver
what did democrtus think about the brain?
beilieved that is was the organ of thought
what did democrtus think about the heart?
organ of courage
what did democrtus think about the liver?
organ of sensuality
what did democrtus think about religion
beileved that there are no divine beings. impersonal necessity and natural law govern the world, not divine will
*good case that he was an athist**
what were the limitations of the first period of greek natural philosophy?
not experimental just did observations
chemistry did not develop beyond atomic theory
When was Hippocrates alive?
460-361 BC
what were some aspects of early greek medicine?
focused on religion and magical cures
purely secular healers arose who called themselves asclepiads